Maiden of the Stars
by TigerTigrez
Summary: Preexisting the tragedy that lead to generations of seeking revenge on the Kusanagi, the Yagami were called Yasakani. The Yasakani, Kusanagi, and Yata clans lived in harmony under protection of divinities, such as the goddess Athena, to quell the dark forces of Orochi. This work features ancestral counterparts of characters with names and behaviors modified.
1. Just One Smile is Very Alluring

_Note: Yasakani is Iori Yagami's counterpart_

Under the soft light of the moon, Yasakani allowed himself to be aloof in the courtyard of the clan house. It wasn't often that he chose to visit the Kagura Estate. However, with such formalities, his presence was something that just could not be substituted. It was not that he didn't want to be with his cousins, it was just that his focus lay elsewhere. If anything, more than anything, he wanted to be alone under the cover of a willow. Under the cover of a willow, stringing out a few melodies on his koto. Today was not going to be one of those nights. Those nights filled with wistful music.

His sword hung at his side, the lacquered wood of his scabbard gleaming a brilliant white from the moonlight. The moon was high overhead, a full body of white to glow as brilliant as the whitest lotus lily. His crimson eyes gazed up at the moon longingly, red against white. Often times the moon was the only companion whose presence he was comfortable in. The crescent insignia stitched onto the back of his kimono, white against red, only further tied his destiny to that of the moon. This crescent insignia was more than just a fashion statement. It was very near and dear to him. In fact, it was his family crescent that had been established during the legendary War of the Waning Moon, countless winters ago. His family wore it with pride, as did he, the only heir to the future of clan.

Perhaps it was, because he bore such a heavy responsibility to continue the line of his clan, that he felt the need to wander off into the beautiful Japanese countryside all by himself. He was prone to admiring the beauty of nature, much like his father. How his parents and servants wished for him to be a hero, a paragon like the ancestors before him. Power. Pride. Prestige. None of that truly mattered to him. They seemed so fleeting. Momentary tastes of status that, in the end, die along with the person they were attached to. His mother sometimes regretted having enlisted elder Bhikkhus in supplementing his education. In her quest to make him into a proper heir, she had only further made him sure of his distaste for material aspirations.

He was not ungrateful for his upbringing, having traveled so often he had come across those who were much less fortunate than him. His travels were also a great source of education for him, exposing him to the workings of the world outside his household. The more he saw, the further his mania for traveling became. How his mother wished she had never allowed him to stray far from the household. But if he listened so obediently to her, then he would not be a true Yasakani, now would he?

His current thoughts about his household and clan faded from focus, as his gaze shifted to the stars. In his youth, astronomy had always piqued his interest. However, this interest was not a scientific one, but an interest befitting of a poet. The stars were always with the moon. The moon was always with the stars. This is how the laws of nature deemed it so, and yet somehow he could never shake off the feeling that he too was missing his own stars. What exactly were stars? Faint dreams? Desires? Questions? Why did it matter so much? He wrote poetry about it, more to answer the questions himself than to ask anyone else.

Taking out a piece of paper from the inner folds of his red kimono, he unfurled the crumpled work. It was marked with his handwriting, his favorite poem to read to himself when things got a little too confusing for him. Poetry helped clear his thoughts, washing away the ichor of mania and doubt. His eyes scanned each word, making them much more real in his mind's eye. However in the middle of his reading, his eyes caught sight of a much more interesting view.

From his position on top of a small bridge overlooking an artificial pond, he could see that the window to the bathhouse was open. Usually he himself would open it while he bathed, to take in the sight of the moon. It seemed that someone else had the same interests as he did. He could see very clearly, the figure of a woman reclining against the massive wooden tub of the bath house. Her pink hair dripping with beads of clear, shimmering water. The lovely form of her body was enveloped in a soft white haze, steam covering her indecency. Her eyes were peering through the window, to the night sky above. Those wonderful pink eyes, brighter than any star, and yet more gentle than cherry blossoms, captivated him to no end. He lost himself in staring at her eyes, quite unaware of the compromising situation he was in.

Those eyes suddenly shifted to him, pink eyes locked with red ones. They had a moment of discovery, a smile flashed across her face. They were familiar to each other. The meeting of their gazes only confirmed mutual suspicions. They had finally found each other. For a moment, the heavens themselves seem to freeze in reverence for this moment. Two souls entwined in fate, unbeknownst to even themselves. They sat there staring at each other, for what seemed to be forever. This moment, this delicate silence was quickly destroyed.

"WWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The woman yelled in embarrassment. She had realized that she was naked and a stranger was peeping on her, never mind the fact that he was the one that she had fervently been searching for. She leapt at the shutters and closed them tight. Yasakani came to his senses and was not without haste himself. He took off running from the bridge, running all the way back to the room reserved for him at the estate. The only hint that he was ever on that bridge that night was the floating piece of crumpled paper that sailed gently on the lake surface. Besides Yasakani, the moon would also read his poetry. Now the moon could see the handwriting, painted carefully against the worn state of the paper.

 _Stars of shining flame_

 _Moon yearning for their presence_

 _The allure of a smile_


	2. Fated Encounter

_Note: Asura Asamiya is Athena Asamiya's counterpart.  
Kyosuke Kusanagi is Kyo Kusanagi's counterpart._

The procession made its way silently through the worn out dirt path. A lone decorated palanquin was held aloft by four man servants, whose very size seemed to dwarf the hired muscle around them. The mercenaries around the palanquin, twelve in total, were armed to teeth. Clad in leather gear, wielding an assortment of military grade weaponry. Any passerby looking on would have thought that a daimyo himself or a high ranking official was travelling on important business. No one bothered to stick around and investigate further, the gleam of swords and blades being brandished so openly was more than an effective intimidation. If you came across a large numbers of halberds, kunabo, pikes, and swords, you too would hesitate to look.

The mercenaries were in formation, with four to the front, four to the rear, and two at the sides of the palanquin. They were arranged so as to make the most efficient guard possible around the palanquin. This was what was called a kill zone. The obvious reasoning behind the naming was due to the fact that anyone unfortunate enough to cross the protective threshold would not live very long. It appeared that whatever the group was transporting was very valuable indeed. However, in this case, it was not a matter of what, but whom. A treasure far more valuable and priceless than any jewel or gold. It was rumored that her beauty alone was the cause of envy for the numerous divinities present in the pantheon. In short, and absolute bodhisattva of woman was within the palanquin, hidden away from view by curtains and closed shutters. However beauty alone can only warrant so much virtue and praise. In another society all together, it was the beauty of one woman alone that caused the legendary fall of Troy.

This was a beautiful woman, this was already known. Beauty was the least of her merits. This was a compassionate, kind, merciful, loving, influential, and extremely wealthy woman. The only daughter of Japanese merchants, and it could be said the pride of the land itself. A woman whose mere name was comparable to myths and legends. Except in this case she was no myth, no mere fiction. She was very much real, from her amethyst colored eyes, to her divinely flowing pink hair. Her name was Asamiya. Lady Asura Asamiya. Perhaps it was by fate that her name would link her to the heavens, how befitting.

Most of the road ran through the heart of an emerald forest. The trunks seem to pierce into the clouds themselves. Branches hid the view of the horizon, offering green were blue should have been. It was due to the potential for coverage the forest gave that the entourage was on unusually high alert. They would not relax, not even for a moment. The air was tense, and yet only silence greeted them. Within the palanquin, Lady Asamiya was having a conversation with her maiden in waiting. Hinako tended to sooth her nerves with small talk. Lady Asamiya was prone to being a worry wart.

"I honestly think you are being too fretful. We should be there by the end of the day. Besides, who would even dream of attacking us? Such an action would be paramount to suicide," Hinako reasoned, and not without confidence. After all, there were many skilled reasons outside waiting to reinforce her idea.

Lady Asamiya looked up from the poetry that she was so engrossed in. Originally, she had purchased some poetry written by an author named Kyosuke. Her intention was to find respite from her thoughts by reading something that could spark her interest. Instead she found a comedy in the poorly written lines, which struggled to find their place in the world of literature.

"I understand your concern. It would not be the first time, nor the last if someone attempted such a scheme. Do I have to remind you of that one night when I was visiting Hokkaido? I was in a fully manned fortress, and yet someone actually dared to get my attention by throwing rocks through my room window."

Hinako rolled her eyes. "The poor lover boy ended up getting a one way ticket to the Buddha himself. There were was more arrows than body left by the time I looked outside the window."

Lady Asamiya sighed, sometimes she wished that the memories people had of her were more than just instant death at the hands of her entourage. Considering the fact that her status had warranted many kidnapping and assassination attempts on her life, perhaps such memories were better left as is.

"Hinako, how am I supposed to interact with the general populace when half of them keep being sent to heaven?" she sighed. With her mere presence the cause of so many deaths, she was worried for her own soul. What exactly was she to say to those poor souls? That she was sorry that her bodyguards killed them? Considering she had been on this earth for nineteen years, that was going to be a lot of apologies.

Hinako giggled, that small giggle that was habit of hers when she talked to her charge, lady Asamiya. "For the most part, it is not like their deaths were undeserved. If you had a daughter as powerful and precious as you, would you not want to keep her safe from the world as well?"

Lady Asamiya blushed. The thought of her having children was enough to make her cheeks brighter than cherries. "Hinako, can we not discuss the subject of children. Or rather, the future of me having children?" She became flustered and threw her focus onto the poetry again.

Hinako laughed. "Asura, if I haven't known you all my life I would make fun of you for being such a prude. You get like this all the time, especially when…" She was cut off by Asamiya.

"Hinako, ENOUGH! I don't want to hear anymore! Not now, not ever!" she cried out.

Hinako rolled those hazel eyes of hers. "I understand, excuse me for offending you princess. I thought that my wit was a much better form of entertainment than the poor excuse for a poet that you are reading. His other works are much, much better!"

Asamiya looked up now. "Must your tongue always be so sharp? This writer, Kyosuke. He is not all… that terrible."

Hinako merely stared at her. "Asura, remember those times I told you about being too nice for your own good? Well, this is it."

Asamiya shook her head. "You could stand to be a tad bit kinder. With all those years at my side, I thought I could be at least a little influencing on you."

It was Hinako's turn to shake her head. "You know I march to the beat of my own drum. Besides Asura, you know you can't get enough of me!"

Asamiya and Hinako shared a hearty laughter together. It was times like these, being caught in mirth that made them seem to forget the world around them. While they were busy chatting away, the guard captain outside was definitely not forgetting the world around him. In fact, he suddenly ordered the whole procession to halt. The mercenaries under him followed their orders without delay, and took up their assigned positions. Years of warfare had made their senses keen, akin to that of predators than men.

Right now the guard captain and his band of soldiers were on high alert. It should be explained that the forest is far from a quiet place. Life resides here, like men residing in cities. So too did the animals make this their abode. And yet, all was not as it should have been. In a forest so full of life, it was unnaturally silent. Not even the birds were chirping, in the middle of spring. This detail had not gone unnoticed by the guard captain, who accordingly ordered his men to respond.

There goes an old saying in warfare, "Beware an eddy, were there should be none."

From inside the palanquin, Lady Asamiya and Hinako noticed that their movement had stopped.

"What is happening? We certainly haven't arrived," Asamiya pondered.

Hinako peered through the curtain and shutters. "We have stopped, I fear that we are being ambushed," Hinako said, grimly.

Asamiya shuttered. In addition to her endless sarcasm and witty banter, Hinako had a penchant for predicting things accurately. Just this once, Asamiya wished that her maid was wrong.

They must have stood there, waiting for what seemed like an eternity. Beads of sweat dropped down the foreheads of the soldiers. They had lived through these situations too many times to know how it would play out. An arrow would signal the attack, killing instantaneously the soldier unfortunate enough to be chosen as the mark. Then would come more arrows, like hornets flying towards a perceived intruder. Countless arrows. And lastly, the ambush would come into full swing, with assassins jumping from the foliage to finish off any stragglers.

Except, the arrow never came, leaving the soldiers in a state of both confusion and nervousness.

The guard captain thought to himself, "If the ambush was here, then they would have attacked already. Why would they delay?"

The smell of fresh blood filled his nostrils. The scent of blood, freshly spilled, became noticed by everyone. It had a metallic, sickeningly pungent odor about it. It wasn't their blood, but this the smell was unmistakable. Blood did not simply just appear out of nowhere. It must have come from someone. But if that is the case, then where were the bodies?

The tension was broken by the sight of young man appearing into view from the path ahead of them. A long man, with crimson hair, red eyes, and a red jacket over his hakama pants. His sword hung at his side in an ornamented red wood scabbard. The sight of the man seemed so surreal. He nonchalantly strode past them without a second thought, as if he had some other business to attend to. This left the soldiers a bit unnerved but relieved. It was definitely more welcome than an ambush. The guard captain was still suspicious. The man had no wounds or anything of interest on him, and yet there was no mistaking the smell of blood on him.

The guard captain stood there dumbfounded before snapping back to reality. He ordered his men to continue onwards as originally intended. The guard captain was not the only confused one. Hinako and Asamiya were in a state of disbelief as well. Hinako was more shocked that she was wrong than anything else. Asamiya was shocked that her wish had been mercifully granted. She made note to thank the divinities tonight when she reached her destination.

It was not long before the procession came across a part of the road littered with corpses. The surrounding landscape painted with blood. Some of the bodies were twitching their last death throes as the entourage stepped over the blood and bodies. There had been an ambush, and yes blood had been spilt. However, the attackers, twenty in total, had met their end swiftly. As if the torn apart by the poisonous claws of a Rakshasa. Only a demon could have caused such a scene of carnage. Yet, while the soldiers rumored amongst themselves, the guard captain had already connected the dots. Whomever that young man was, was very formidable indeed. It was a blessing in its own right that the young man was not their enemy. The sight of the carnage soon left them.

Hinako saw the corpses and expressed her uneasiness with silence. She had seen many dead courtesy of Asamiya, but nothing compared to something of this brutality and scale before. The soldiers were having small flashbacks of battlefields themselves. Memories they thought they had left behind. Through all of this, Asamiya paid no attention to the sights of the dead. She had snuck peek outside and opened the shutter. She caught sight of the young man's features as he walked past them. Her purple eyes met red ones, if only for the briefest of moments. She had seen his features, as he had seen hers. More than his face, the memory of the crescent moon on his back was forever burned into her memory.

This memory faded from view, as the young man strayed further down the path, until disappearing all together from her view into the forest.


	3. Wish Upon a Star

_Note: Chui Quanchong is Sie Kensou's counterpart._

Her scream did not go unnoticed. Immediately, Hinako burst through the sliding doors brandishing an iron club.

"Asura, I'M HERE, LET ME PROTECT YOU!"

Asamiya was still recovering from her embarrassment, drying herself with various sheets of cloth lying around. She wanted to say something but did not know exactly what to say. How would she explain herself? That the man who dominated her past thoughts had been peeping on her? What surprised Asamiya more was that this man was staying at the same place she had arrived at. Was it mere coincidence, or did he follow her for some ulterior purpose? Asamiya's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. The voice of her lady in waiting snapped her back to the present.

"Asura, what happened? I heard your scream from the outside and I came here to investigate. You screamed pretty loudly, as if you were reacting to someone. Or did you stub your toe again?"

Hinako's humor never diminished even in the direst of circumstances. Asamiya shook her head, not wanting her embarrassing moments to be recounted as Hinako was want to do.

"No, I'm fine, I'm fine. It was nothing," She tried her very best to sound confident to her maid. This effort was in vain.

Years of being together had made them very adept at discerning each other's feelings. Hinako was not accepting her answer in the slightest. It was then that she noticed the ghost of a blush disappearing from Asamiya's face.

"Don't tell me. Someone was peeping on you," Hinako said as a matter of fact. She went to where the window was and opened it herself. She peered out to the possible vantage points before her.

Asamiya was at a loss for words on what to say. She just wanted to go to sleep as soon as possible and forget this whole incident. Hinako intruded upon her thoughts again with another question.

"Well it's obvious that the most likely place the peeping tom would have seen you, would have to be from the middle of the bridge. I say this because it would offer the best possible view. Lady Asura, if I may ask, since the both of you saw each other, how did the peeping tom look like? Can you describe his features?"

Lady Asamiya found herself speaking without putting much forethought into it.

"He had auburn hair, hazel eyes, wore pretty ragged clothes, and had a bob haircut."

Hinako finally took her word for it and gasped.

"If what you say is true, then Lady Asura, I fear that an ill omen has fallen upon you,"

Asamiya was curious as to what Hinako meant by this, normally Hinako wasn't the one to go spouting out rumors.

"And please pray tell, what this ill omen is, or in this case, whom this ill omen is?" She asked Hinako.

Hinako shut the shutters to the outside world and explained. "It seems that, the great skirt chaser from China has come to pay you a visit. His name is Chui Quanchong. He is a great pervert with no equal across the lands, or so the legends say."

Asamiya felt herself almost breathe a sigh of relief, but this would have betrayed her lie. She merely nodded and accepted her handmaiden's explanation without further question. Hinako interjected before Asamiya could excuse herself.

"That reminds me, the matriarch of this estate requests an audience with you at this hour, and I came to get you when this situation just happened to occur."

Asamiya was a bit taken back, she thought she was going to go to her chambers. "What would the matriarch want with me at this hour?" she asked Hinako.

Hinako shrugged. "Not sure, it was not my place to ask anyway."

Asamiya rolled her eyes, she felt that this night was going to be one of those long nights.

Lady Asamiya and her handmaiden were seated in the main meeting room reserved for serious discussions. They both sat on silken cushions, waiting for the matriarch to attend to them. Hinako was looking around the lavishly furnished room. Tapestries and treasures hung from the walls, telling of a rich family history. Asamiya was more concerned with the man that she had seen twice now. She was certain that he was no ordinary stranger. At the same time, after her being seen naked by him, perhaps it was better that they hadn't been introduced to each other. She could not bear to see him now. Both of their thoughts came to a halt as the screen doors before them parted. The matriarch of the house was wearing a long flowing white silken dress of a foreign fashion. It had crane motifs that were stitched into the silk. She was attended by another woman in a white dress, who wore the exact same motifs. In fact these two women were splitting images of each other. They sat together, across from Asamiya and Hinako. The four were separated across from each other with a small lacquered table. The first of the pair spoke.

"I am so glad to see that you have safely made your journey to the Kagura household. It must have been very long indeed. My deepest gratitude to your parents. I trust they are doing as well as ever," Chizuru greeted.

Asamiya nodded.

"Mother and Father are as busy as ever with their business endeavors. Father has gotten the idea to import tea leaves from the northern mainland and sell them at a profit," Asamiya explained.

The twin on Chizuru's side gave Chizuru a nasty look. "I told you it was a good idea, if we just imported leaves from China and dried them into a brick then we could have sold it into a new market!" Maki was fuming.

Chizuru rolled her eyes. "I told you many times already. I don't like tea." Chizuru stuck up her nose.

Maki felt as if she was going to explode. "THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE OTHER THAN YOU THAT WOULD DIE FOR A CUP OF TEA IN THE COMFORT OF THEIR OWN HOMEI" Maki yelled.

Chizuru sighed with her nose still stuck up. "If they like tea so much then they can move to China and have it there," Chizuru stated.

Maki looked like she was going to pounce on her sister. "THE IDEA WAS TO BRING CHINA HERE TO THE PEOPLE!" Maki screamed.

Chizuru nodded. "I told you many times already, I don't like China."

Maki lost it and pounced on her sister, not caring about the guests in front of them. They were rolling around wrestling each other for dominance while yelling at each other. Asamiya had heard rumors of their tempers from her parents but she was not expecting this at all. She wished that a miracle would happen.


	4. Nominated

_Note: In the English translation of KOFXI's Kyo and Iori team story, Chizuru is referred to as "Chizuru Yasakani". This was the inspiration to make the Yata family the cousins of the Yasakani, even if it may be a mistranslation._

The wrestling match was in full swing. Asamiya and Hinako watched awkwardly from the sidelines. Hinako didn't mind the action too much. In fact they had front row seats to the show. Maki and Chizuru were in the middle of rolling around on the ground when the screen doors behind them were thrown open. Hinako and Asamiya looked up from their current view, and both were lost in thought. Asamiya forgot where she was for a moment and found herself staring at the figure that had rushed into the room.

Yasakani rushed into the room the moment he had heard the commotion. He didn't need to guess what was happening since he was more than experienced in sibling quarrels. Yasakani flew forward and did his best to separate the quarreling sisters, not noticing the two guests watching them. This was much easier said than done. They were not going to stop fighting without some effort. Yasakani sighed and attempted to get in between Chizuru and Maki, who were now shifting their focus on to him.

"DON'T YOU DARE PUT YOUR HANDS ON ME!" Chizuru yelled as she threw him to the ground.

"HOW DARE TRY TO STOP ME FROM HURTING MY SISTER!" Maki screamed as she began to stomp on him.

Yasakani was overwhelmed as the twins rained abuse upon abuse onto him. He was punched, kicked, and slammed into the ground repeatedly. Yasakani was beginning to see stars now. His efforts weren't completely in vain. He had succeeded in getting them to stop fighting each other, only for them to start fighting him. Fight was a very generous word. He was their punching bag for now.

Asamiya looked to her side to find that Hinako was gone. Asamiya then found Hinako joining in the fray, beating up Yasakani with the twins. Asamiya decided that enough was enough and made a choice to intervene as best she could. It took some effort but she was able to get the three women off of Yasakani, who by now was fading in and out of consciousness. Hinako was the first to speak.

"Hey, I was just having fun. Did you want to get in a few punches yourself?" she asked Asamiya sincerely.

Chizuru and Maki were satisfied with the beating they had given Yasakani and sat back down on their respective couches.

"Is there any reason the three of you felt like ganging up on this poor man?" Asamiya asked them before turning to get a better look at Yasakani.

"He knows better than to try to get in between us, besides it's his fault for getting involved anyway!" Maki was still fuming.

It was there, so close to him that Asamiya was able to get a good look at his features. He had strong features, and yet his face was surprisingly feminine in quality. He had a beautiful tone of skin, despite the bruises on his face. His crimson eyes were as bright as ever, full of life and yearning.

Yasakani himself was struggling to see the world in his blurry vision. Soon the features of a woman was coming into sight. First her cheeks, then her lips, finally the gem like hue of her purple eyes came into view. If he hadn't known any better then he would have thought that he had died, and a celestial bhodasttiva had come to deliver him to the world beyond. The two of them ended up staring at each other for quite some time, lost in a world of their own. They had found each other, after many chance meetings, the pair had finally been brought together.

"That reminds me, the purpose of this meeting was to introduce to you a more capable guardian than your retinue could ever possess. Think of it as a way for my clan to give back to your father, our own brand of gratitude. That man before you is the heir to the Yasakani clan, the next in line for succession. His mother wishes for him to travel the lands and further his education as only traveling can do that. However with you here traveling, I felt that the timing could not have been more perfect. As his second elder, I can safely attest to both his abilities and aptitude for the martial arts. He will serve as your personal body guard. Your father already knows of this plan and has agreed to it," Chizuru explained.

Yasakani snapped back to reality. "Wait I don't remember agreeing to this, on one told me anything!" Yasakani said, trying to understand the gravity of the situation. His musings were cut short as Maki threw her cushion at him, which hit his face. He was thankful that the cushion was the only thing she could get her hands on at this point.

"DON'T SPEAK WHILE YOUR ELDERS ARE SPEAKING!" Maki screamed at him.

Yasakani gulped and did as he was told, he was not going to risk another beating by them.

"As I was saying, when you are ready to continue on your journey please let us know, we will outfit you and see you off." Chizuru explained.

Asamiya was at a loss for words, she had not expected to meet this mysterious stranger, and now he was going to join her on her journey. "Wait hold on, my father knew about this and didn't tell me? But, but, surely this wasn't his intention from the very start. He's going to be my personal body guard?"

She sputtered, flustered while pointing at the kneeling Yasakani. "Think of this as insurance on our part. You get to travel, and he keeps you safe. Sounds like a good deal, right?" Maki reasoned.

Hinako felt that something else was being planned but dared not to speak out of turn. She had a hunch that he being added to their entourage was more complicated than just acting as a bodyguard. For now, she contented herself with the fact that he was very handsome indeed. She snuck glances at him every now at then, and winked at him a few times. Being a handmaiden meant that meeting suitors was a very limited affair for her. Perhaps if her lady didn't fancy him, then she could take the lead. If that were to happen then she could be married off and live a life as a free woman. If only things were that easy, but she could dream instead.

It began to dawn on Asamiya that she had no say in the matter, and that the choice had been made for her a long time ago. This was how her life usually panned out, so she was accustomed to it. She could only nod and bow to them to thank the twins for their hospitality. She took this as her cue to leave, and got up with her handmaiden to return to their quarters for the night. Yasakani got up from his kneeling position and was about to walk out of the room when Maki stopped him.

"Yasakani. You will protect her with your life! I Will NOT have you make our family lose face. You are the dual representative of both our clan, and your clan. I trust you will see this through. We will have your Dotanuki and travelling gear ready by tomorrow morning. You are dismissed, return to your quarters and sleep well. I expect you to report to us at the hour of the rabbit," Maki said sternly.

"And if I hear that you are anything but impeccable in your behavior from her handmaiden or from Lady Asamiya herself, I promise you that a beating will follow you so harsh that your future offspring will be feeling our wrath!" Chizuru added. Yasakani could only nod and scurried off, pissing them off was not on his to do list. Not now or not ever.

With the room now clear Maki aired out her concerns to her sister.

"This isn't what you call the traditional marriage interview, but I guess this is best we can do given our circumstances. Are you so sure that they are a good match as you say?" Maki asked.

Chizuru laughed that hearty laugh of hers. "OH-HO-HO-HO-HO. You dare doubt my matchmaking abilities? This is perfect though. Her father has been wanting to marry her off and what better way to have access to his vast trade routes than to throw our cousin his daughter's way. The father was more than excited at the prospect, the Yasakani clan is a very wealthy and prestigious clan. Of course he would jump at the suggestion."

Maki was brimming with happiness again. "That means that my tea idea isn't dead yet! With any luck, if the marriage goes on well, then I can choose to run the tea business and disguise my intentions as filial want! We will be introduced to their family and I'll be able to run free with my ideas! This is perfect sis, do you think he'll offer the sum of his tea branch as a dowry!?" she asked Chizuru excitedly.

"Don't get too excited, not yet. Besides He's not going to let you take over the tea business as a dowry, I denied his suggestion and asked for something else."

Maki felt as if she was about to die. "WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? THAT WAS THE PERFECT LEAD IN! HE WAS GOING TO GIVE THE BUSINESS UP TO OUR FAMILY!" Maki was practically in tears.

"I was more interested in the silk stores he had, definitely a market for that now." Chizuru reasoned.

Maki countered, "BUT WHAT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THE TEA LEAVES! THERE IS A MARKET FOR THAT I PROMISE, WE COULD HAVE BECOME RICHER THAN THE JADE EMPEROR HIMSELF ON JUST A COUPLE OF LEAVES!" she pleaded.

Chizuru stuck up her nose in the air and crossed her arms. "I told you once already. I don't like tea!" Chizuru said.

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Maki lost her temper again and pounced on her sister, the two of them began to fight and wrestle without any one to interfere this time. The guards outside the meeting room sighed, they knew better than to get involved.


	5. Sudden Peach Ambush

_Note: Mai Shiranui of Fatal Fury and Momiji of Ninja Gaiden look as if they could be sisters. This was the inspiration of their relation._

Yasakani woke up without much effort. His internal clock was more than accurate, as a result of being woken up routinely by Chizuru and Maki. Not delaying any further, he went to the meeting room were Chizuru and Maki were awaiting him. Maki was slumped over snoring loudly, while her sister was falling in and out of sleep. They woke up as Yasakani opened the sliding doors and sat before his elder sisters. Chizuru woke up.

"As expected, you were able to follow our most basic directions. Maki, present to him his traveling gear and prized dotanuki. As well as some money courtesy of the Yata coffers, not that you would have been strapped for cash anyways but I was feeling generous." Chizuru nudged Maki, who plopped over onto the floor and continued snoring loudly.

Chizuru sighed and handed over the gear herself to Yasakani, who received it while prostrating himself before his elder sisters. With his items in his arms, he retreated back to his room and began to outfit himself with new hakama pants, a cross stitched traveling tunic, and brand new sandals with black socks. He was to be wearing traveling gear, as he loved to travel whenever the opportunity arose. His strapped his Dotanuki on the side of his waist, with the lacquered scabbard nicely reflecting the early morning sun peeking through the shudders. With gear fitted, he went to the front gates of the house where Lady Asamiya and Hinako were already dressed and ready to travel. They were not in their palanquin this time and had chosen to travel on foot for now. Iori spoke up as he approached them.

"What happened to the rest of your retinue?" he asked.

Hinako could see the rays of sun dancing on his face, his crimson eyes were shining like stars now. He was really handsome, with a beauty that even a woman would be envious of. Hinako blushed and looked down to the ground, she dared not to speak out of turn and defy her master. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage now, but still she kept quite. Lady Asamiya was also flustered and had to force herself to keep it together enough to respond.

"I dismissed them, Matriarch Kagura insisted I do this. She said with you to accompany me, they wouldn't be necessary anymore. So they are on their way home now." She caught herself looking at his face more than she would have liked to admit. Yasakani steeled himself against the allure of her beauty, but even her voice was making him waiver.

"Very well then, lead the way, I will follow at your side. Where are we going to anyway?" Yasakani asked.

"To the ocean, the southern ocean near Izu, the coastline there. There is something there I need to get." She said honestly.

Yasakani merely nodded at her response and followed her as she began to lead the way. He was to the right of her, while Hinako was to the left of Asamiya. As they were walking away from the Yata mansion, the twin sisters waved them off.

It was the at the hour of the tiger. They had been walking at their own leisure for quite a while now, taking in the sights of the countryside as they ventured further away from the strongholds. Hinako kept stealing glances at the handsome warrior to the right of Lady Asamiya, but would not speak out of turn. This was the custom of the day, a servant would not speak aloud unless asked or spoken to. Yasakani didn't notice her glances and contented himself with looking at the countryside. There was something in traveling to unknown parts that gave his heart a sense of peace. He felt fulfilled this way, in ways that living at home could never hope to fill.

They had been walking in relative silence, an uneasy one at that. This was not completely unwarranted, since Yasakani had only properly met them yesterday night. Their silence was broken by the whistling sound of something flying in their direction. Yasakani reacted before any of them could comprehend the situation and deflected the projectile with the scabbard of his sword. Sparks flew as the iron fan bounced off his sword and returned to its original owner. A figure was standing before them to the left of their road, coming from the tree line. The sun was higher now, and the shine of her tassel was glinting brightly. The black sash around her waist accentuated her shapely figure, the gold of silk etched into the sash was remarkable. She had a tail flowing from her waist to the floor, made of a grand number of fibers, which ended into to cast balls of white and red. She was clad in a red and white costume that showed off her feminine legs, as well as the skin of her arms and parts of her chest. Rope pauldrons on the sides of her shoulders held her dress tightly in place.

Her arms hands and feet were covered in battle gauntlets and tabi boots with a red and white accent. In all her appearance looked as grand and elegant as the pose she was striking. She had one hand extended out, showing the sakura motif of her custom metal fans. The other fan was still flying in the air, and she caught it with her free hand as if it were no trouble at all. With both fans in hand, she folded one and pointed to Yasakani, who was as confused as the rest of the group.

"YOU, THERE. I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL!" she proclaimed brazenly.

Asamiya and Hinako did not know how to take this predicament but decided to watch it play out. Yasakani answered respectfully.

"To what purpose is our duel? I have a job to do and I don't want to skirt my responsibilities in pointless fights," he reasoned.

The mystery girl was not wavering in her resolve. "I challenge you to a duel, for the right to lead Lady Asamiya!" she proclaimed again.

Yasakani finally unsheathed his sword, Fuyusuki, and got into a low battle stance characteristic of his inherited style.

"State your name!" he asked politely.

The girl put one fan to her face and another to the side. "I am Mai Shiranui, Maverick of the Shiranui Clan of Shinobi! Challenging you with Shiranui style ninjutsu and war fan arts," she said proudly.

Yasakani responded likewise, "I am Yasakani! Heir to the Clan of the same name and user of the Crescent Moon Lunar Light Technique! I accept your challenge with my dotanuki, Fuyutsuki!" he responded.

Hinako was excited by the prospect of combat, while Asamiya merely added this incident to another list of attempted kidnappings.

Before the duel could get under way, Yasakani suddenly asked, "I accept your duel. But I ask you only one thing: why do you challenge me as a Bushi, knowing full well that you are not of the same class?"

Mai was confused. "Wait… I am of the same class. Don't you see my clothes!?" she said while doing a small twirl.

This time it was Yasakani's turn to be confused. "You said you were shinobi. But there are not any shinobi clans within the provinces that live near the strongholds nor the cities. It is to my understanding that true shinobi are of a strictly peasant class, farm clans who ban together for protection. So then, how are you so well equipped?"

Mai was furious and she stamped a foot the ground. "I'M NOT A PEASANT GIRL. I'M A BEAUTIFUL SHINOBI, AND YOU WILL REGRET MOCKING ME!" she cried out and stamped the ground.

"Forget it, sis. He's already seen through us. I already told you these outfits would draw more attention than we wanted. Besides, why would shinobi dress like us?" the voice came from another women slightly taller than Mai, coming out of the woods. She was carrying a good-sized halberd that had golden patterns across the shaft and hilt.

Her outfit was a stark contrast to Mai's but still spoke of a hidden nature. She had a shapely figure that was accented by the body hugging body suit she was wearing. It was a more complete piece, with a matte black motif. Her thighs were exposed, as well as the upper part of her neck and chest. Her gauntlets shined in the sun, her black boots making marks in the grass. Her outfit was similar to her sister's yet a style all her own.

Asamiya, Hinako, and Yasakani were at a loss for words now. These two very beautiful women had appeared out of nowhere, and they were focused on Yasakani. Asamiya had never met these two in her life, yet still they wanted her presence.

"I apologize for my sister, due to her being younger in years she has a habit of being hasty and immature at times. I am Momiji Shiranui, of the Shiranui clan. We are Shinobi, but we are not as you say. I apologize for her lies." She bowed to Yasakani.

Yasakani added. "So… you are peasants?" he asked.

Mai was going to throw another fit, but Momiji spoke before this could happen. "In lack of better terms, yes. We are mere peasants," she said sadly.

Hinako spoke out of turn. "So does that mean you're just robbing us?" she asked.

Mai smiled and put her hands on her hips. "YUP!"

Asamiya spoke up now, "Wait, if you have such nice outfits... They look really expensive, considering the majority of your equipment looks made from imported leather, steel, and especially silk. Why would you need to rob us in the first place if you are so well off?" she asked and reasoned.

Momiji sighed and facepalmed. "We are peasants. We are actually very poor, as peasants usually are. My sister and I took to being highway robbers in order to feed ourselves and we just hit It big by robbing a funeral procession. We made out like kings. AND THEN MY SISTER BLEW THE ENTIRE FORTUNE WE STOLE ON MAKING US AND GETTING US DRESSED IN THESE OUTFITS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE WERE REDUCED TO HIGH ROBBERY AGAIN!" Momiji was screaming now and boking her sister on the head with one of her own fans.

Mai cried out after each blow. "IT'S NOT MY FAULT. I LIKE LOOKING PRETTY! WHAT'S THE POINT OF ROBBING PEOPLE IF YOU CAN'T DO IT IN STYLE!?" she said while sobbing.

Momiji got angrier. "YOU HAD THE GALL TO GIVE ME NOTHING BUT SILVER EQUIPMENT AND SAVED ALL THE GOLD TRIMMINGS AND PRECIOUS METAL ALL TO YOURSELF!" Momiji screamed at her little sister, doubling her efforts of bonking her on the head with the fan.

"YOU'RE A STUPID SISTER. YOU'RE A STUPID, STUPID LITTLE SISTER! THE WHOLE POINT WAS TO LIVE OUT OUR LIFE IN PEACE BUT NOOOOO. YOU WANTED TO LOOK PRETTY. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!" she yelled at Mai, who was in the fetal position covering her head and crying.

Yasakani spoke up, while Asamiya and Hinako wondered if all sisters were this abusive to each other. "So, if you're robbing us, does that mean that you want only our money?" he asked. He wasn't above paying them off if it meant he could avoid an unnecessary fight. Truth be told, he was just feeling lazy.

Momiji stopped abusing her little sister and spoke. "Truth be told, because of my sister we are in dire financial straits since she spent every penny we had. We want to take Lady Asamiya hostage and ransom her back to her dad! We'll get a fortune upon a fortune for her!" she said while pointing her naginata at Asamiya. Asamiya sighed, she knew that it was going to end up like this. Hinako wondered if she herself was worth any money, then sighed as she figured that she was worth a few ryo at best. And mostly because she was pretty.

Yasakani proclaimed, "YOU WILL NOT TOUCH ONE HAIR OF LADY ASAMIYA AS LONG AS I'M STANDING!" He got into his battle stance again.

Mai picked herself up from the floor and wiper her tears from her face with a silken handkerchief. She stood by her sister's side with fans in hand, while her sister twirled her naginata and pointed it at Yasakani. "FINE, THEN! HAVE IT YOUR WAY! PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE SHIRANUI!" Momiji yelled.

Mai and Momiji both yelled out their battle cry before charging Yasakani. "SHIRANUI SISTER'S NINJUTSU WRATH! SUDDEN PEACH AMBUSH!"


	6. Sudden Combat

Yasakani was in a low stance, with his dotanuki pointed to the ground with the bladed part looking up into the sky. He had one hand free, hand at the ready. Hinako and Asura were looking as the sisters charged him. It was then that Hinako noticed something unique about their movements: Momiji was deliberately running at a controlled pace, while her sister Mai seemed to be accelerating faster than what a normal human was capable of. The grass behind Mai was blown into the air, and the wind was funneling behind her body. She crossed the distance between her and Yasakani, however as close as Mai got Yasakani ignored her. This surprised everyone, and Momiji's command only proved Hinako's hunch.

"SIS, HE'S SEEN THROUGH US! BE CAREFUL!" she yelled at her sister who rushed past Yasakani straight towards Asura. Mai was inches away from her target, and just as quickly she was sent rocketing back towards the tree line. She crashed through the branches and tumbled around the floor, feeling like a ragdoll. Mai was struggling to breathe as she steadied herself, her legs were trembling from the sheer shock of the impact she took to her gut. It felt as if Raijin himself had struck her with his hammer.

Asura blinked, not knowing what just happened. She turned her head to her left and saw Hinako flexing the fingers on her outstretched hand.

"Lady Asura, please leave this to me. I've been meaning to get some exercise lately," Hinako said while rolling her shoulders. Asura sighed, Hinako loved to get involved whenever things got interesting.

Momiji saw her sister fly back past her but did not stop charging Yasakani. If she could take out the swordsman then the bodyguard would be overwhelmed in a two vs one situation. She mentally sighed, she knew better than to take risks. This time she had miscalculated, and did not expect Hinako to be of any actual threat. She cleared the thoughts from her head and twirled her massive naginata above her head. Yasakani was patient and merely waited as she got closer and closer. Then it happened, she twirled around herself and swung at him from the maximum distance her weapon allowed her.

Yasakani got into his river guard and relaxed his body. The principle of his river guard was to allow the blow to flow into you, thereby reducing the resistance your body gave and lessening the impact. Her blade impacted his sword, and he realized something was off immediately. He expected to be pushed a little back, but instead he was knocked backwards and flew past Asura. She blinked a few times as he soared past her like a comet. He landed on his feet perfectly and rushed forward again.

Momiji had retracted her weapon and was turning around when she saw Yasakani barreling towards her with a speed that reminded her of her sisters. It was as if he was floating above the very ground.

"WHAT!" was all she could say as she suddenly pulled the shaft of her weapon up to guard to block a sword blow. Yasakani ascertained as much after clashing just once with Momiji. He estimated that her naginata must have weighed at least 25 kan. If her weapon had connected just once, it would have been extremely disastrous to him. Knowing this, he decided to change his strategy and overwhelm her with all-out offense. He was not going to give her any time to swing her weapon back.

Hinako was standing in front of Asura, waiting for anything to happen. From the tree line, she could hear the sharp crying of whistling as two fans flew in her direction.

"Really? That's a kids joke!" she exclaimed as she caught the fans in her hands. Mai was accelerating towards her again and had hoped that the fans would distract her long enough to leave an opening in her defense. Hinako quickly stamped the ground with her foot, causing the earth in front of her to tremble. Mai lost her footing and began to tumble head over heels towards Hinako. She landed in front of Hinako, who scooped her up in a bear hug and began to squeeze her.

"WAAAAHHHH!" Mai choked out, she felt as if her eyes were going to pop out of her skull. She kicked her feet uselessly as she was picked up above the ground, and struggled to get free but to no avail. Hinako had an iron grip on her and she wasn't letting go. Without any further options, Mai did the next thing she was sure to distract Hinako. Her arms were pinned to her body, but her head was free. This allowed her to lean in and press her lips against Hinako's. Asura went wide eyed and her cheeks flared crimson. Hinako went wide eyed and lost her footing as she felt Mai's tongue go into her mouth.

Meanwhile, Yasakani was unleashing a whirlwind of different attacks against Momiji. She was struggling to block every attack, since his draw time was faster than her reflexes. She was able to keep up but it wasn't easy. The situation was only getting worse as she could feel Yasakani accelerating the tempo of his blows. She got desperate and let her hand free itself from the shaft of her weapon and punch him. He anticipated her plan and ducked under her fist, she looked down to see him sweep her feet with a kick. She fell and her weapon flew out of her grip. Yasakani reacted faster than she could steady herself and pounced on her. This was his golden opportunity to disarm her. Momiji caught him and began to roll around the ground with him. This was her area of expertise, and her massive strength was more than a match to the seasoned warrior. She pinned him to the ground and straddled him with her legs to keep him from moving.

"You aren't really a shinobi, are you?" he said as he was still trying to get out of her grip.

"I never said I was, by my sister… WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY LITTLE SISTER?" she yelled out as she saw Hinako pinning Mai onto the ground and making out with her. Mai was furious that her planned had completely backfired, and was feeling even sorrier for herself as Hinako began to feel her up. Asura had gotten involved now and was trying to pull Hinako off of the poor shinobi girl but Hinako's strength was unrivaled.

Yasakani took advantage of her momentary distraction and free his arms and thrusted his hips up.

"WAAAH!" Momiji cried out in surprise as she found herself on her back with Yasakani on top of her. He was faster than she could act, and he tied her arms up with the bindings of her own sash. The sash was made out of iron binded threads, and there was no way they could be broken. Not even with Momiji's strength was this ever going to happen. She rolled around trying to get free but she couldn't even get up on her feet, Yasakani had taken extra precaution to tie her legs up as well. Yasakani picked up his sword from the ground and sheathed it, he had dropped it to get the better of Momiji. He could hear Chizuru screaming at him to never drop his sword but he knew that in combat, anything went. He ambled on over to where Hinako was groping Mai and joined Asura in pulling her off of her. They succeeded after a tremendous amount of effort.

"Hey, you won the fight. You can stop now," Yasakani said.

Hinako giggled. "I know, I won a long time ago." This left Asura beet red and Yasakani had a small drop of blood leak from his nose. Mai was on the floor crying in the fetal position.

"NO MORE! I GIVE UP! I'M SORRY. I'LL BE A GOOD GIRL. NO MORE!" she cried as she ran over to her where her sister and tied herself up with her own tassel tail.

Momiji sighed. "Great move there, sis. It's not like you could have untied me or anything."

Mai was smiling at her sister. "Look, sis! We match!"

Momiji sighed and let her head fall into the grass. She gave up.

Asura was playing with Mai's fans and was delighted at how elegant and beautifully crafted they were. They were a bit on the heavy side since they were intended for combat. Hinako lifted up Momiji's naginata with one hand and went to where Yasakani was standing over the tied up girls. Yasakani was pondering on what to do with them. Hinako raised the naginata and was about to deliver the coup de grace when Asura threw herself on top of the tied up girls.

"NOOOOOOOO! THEY ARE TIED UP! THEY LOST! SHOW THEM MERCY! HAVEN'T I TAUGHT YOU BETTER?" she pleaded.

Yasakani was surprised at how bloodthirsty this petite pretty handmaiden was. Hinako giggled.

"Oh, it was just a joke. I wasn't serious. Lighten up!" She tossed aside the naginata, which impacted the earth with a hard thud.

"What should we do with them?" Yasakani asked Asura, who was now untying them.


	7. Shiranui Sisters & the Flirting Scholar

_Note: Kyosuke Kusanagi is Kyo Kusanagi's counterpart. As this is before the Orochi curse, the Yasakani and Kusanagi have different relations._

Their thoughts were overruled by the sound of enthusiastic clapping. Everyone turned to see a figure clad in white robes approaching them from the road. He was smiling.

"Excellent show. Bravo. Now, that I won't be forgetting anytime soon. Now, that, is going to sell bigtime!"

Asura, Hinako, and the freed Shiranui sisters looked to the new figure coming at them. Hinako was blushing, she was very pleased at seeing him again. Yasakani greeted the man with open arms, as if he were his very own flesh and blood. They hugged each other. Asura wondered who the man was but had her question answered soon enough. Yasakani turned around and introduced him to the group properly.

"Excuse my hasty behavior, but this is a very dear friend of mine. He is like a brother to me," Yasakani said.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kyosuke Kusanagi, heir to the Kusanagi clan. But you can call me Kyosuke, the flirting scholar!" Kyosuke said while bowing. It was then that Asura noticed his robes and black hat.

"Those clothes, they're from China!" she exclaimed.

Kyosuke nodded. "My cousin currently traveling and studying in China sent them over to me. He said they are what scholars wear in that country, and so I came to like them. Very comfortable, I must say." Kyosuke adjusted the black cap he had as he said this.

Hinako had stayed silent this entire time, she would definitely catch up with him later. Right now, she needed to not speak out of turn so as to not give herself away, not that Asura had expected anything to begin with. The Shiranui sisters were dusting themselves off when Momiji asked,

"What was that you said about selling big time? Selling what?" She was curious as to what he meant, picking up her Naginata and holstering it on her back. Asura gave Mai her fans back.

"I'm a scholar who studies the world and its secrets. But I'm also a writer by trade. It's how I make a living. However, I prefer drawing more than I do writing. Yasakani is more adept at the writing arts than I am," Kyosuke explained as he pat Yasakani on the back.

It was then that Lady Asamiya got very excited indeed. "Really?! I love reading myself. I don't write, but I love to read anything I can get my hands on.!" she exclaimed.

Yasakani and Kyosuke found themselves smiling sheepishly. Hinako was already acquainted with the majority of Kyosukes works, and eagerly awaited any new series or stories that he might publish. She even knew about all his secret pen names, and took to collecting his art work whenever the opportunity arose. However, she never knew that Yasakani himself was a prolific author. She wondered what he wrote about, but if Kyosuke was anything to go by, then she was giddy with excitement already.

Mai and Momiji were a bit taken back by the fact that everyone had returned back to their usual cheery selves and had almost forgotten that they had existed. They took to standing there awkwardly, not knowing what to do or say. Mai was too frightened by Hinako to even attempt to do anything. Yasakani took the lead and began to introduce the group properly.

"If you allow me. This is Lady Asamiya, daughter of an influential merchant family," he said.

Asamiya bowed respectfully. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance. I had not known that you were a good friends of his until now. Also, I'm a big fan of your works. I hope to have a long journey ahead of you," she praised.

Kyosuke nodded. "I'm always happy to meet a fan. If the stars fall just right, you too might be the star of my next work!" he said proudly. Asamiya's eyes twinkled in excitement.

She picked up where he left off. "This is my childhood friend and lady in waiting, Hinako." Asamiya motioned one sleeved arm to her maidservant. Asamiya didn't have her eyes on Hinako, so Hinako was able to sneak a wink at Kyosuke.

"Pleased to meet you, I hope to get to know you better." She bowed to him. Kyosuke tried his best not to give anything away and nodded his head.

"I'm pretty sure we'll get along just fine," he said.

Hinako suppressed a blush expertly. Immediately, Kyosuke noticed the Shiranui sisters standing to the side of the group awkwardly. They hadn't bothered to say a word and looked like they had been guilty of some crime. The tension in the air was heavy, until Yasakani came up with something quickly.

"And these two young ladies are my sisters. This is the elder Sister Momiji Shiranui Yasakani, and This is the little sister Mai Shiranui Yasakani."

Mai and Momiji bowed and caught on quickly. They did not want to escalate anything further and simply played along.

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance. Treat me well," Momiji said.

Mai was giddy and jumping up and down. "I'm a huge fan of your works! My personal favorite is the Tale of the Midnight Handmaiden," Mai said.

Upon saying that name, everyone but Asamiya blushed heavily, especially Hinako since the story was about her and Kyosuke's midnight adventures. Asamiya could not keep quiet.

"I never read that one, what's it about?" she asked naively.

Kyosuke snickered. "You'll find out when you get older," he said. This answer caused the rest of the group to laugh out loud, leaving Asamiya confused. She never got a chance to follow her question up as Kyosuke continued to talk.

"So, Yasakani, you peasant fuck. What brings you out here in the middle of the road? And also, why in the world where you fighting your sisters so fervently? I don't have siblings, so I'm not familiar with sibling dynamics. Were you two practicing for a show? Is that why these two are in such elegant costumes?" Kyosuke said as he motioned to the Shiranui sisters, noticing their very expensive attire.

The Shiranui sisters were fuming at the word peasant being thrown around so carelessly, even as a joke. They hid their anger, since they were not willing to blow their new found cover.

"They are aspiring actresses. I was merely fulfilling my brotherly role of helping them with their delivery and prose," Yasakani lied through his teeth. Kyosuke thought nothing of it and believed the story without hesitation.

"Very well, then. Anyways,m where are you guys headed off to?" he asked.

Asamiya took the lead. "Yasakani has been tasked by Chizuru and Maki to ensure my safety and accompany me on the journey to the coastline in Izu. He is a traveling companion and bodyguard as well. His sisters also decided to accompany us as well since they are also well versed in the martial arts." Asamiya wondered why Yasakani lied to Kyosuke about their origins, and furthermore why he had decided to include them in the group.

Kyosuke eyed the Shiranui sisters, who were smiling sheepishly. "Hey, Yasakani, I never heard of your sisters at all. Where'd you been hiding them? Well, then again, if I had sisters that beautiful, I'd hide them from prying eyes as well," he and Momiji took his compliments with smiles.

Asamiya spoke up now. "What were you doing here? Did you just happen to be taking a stroll?" she asked Kyosuke.

Kyosuke shook his head. "Actually, I was coming back from a long journey to a remote monastery. I heard the monks had scrolls with untapped knowledge concerning medicine and herbs so I just had to go there and transcribe them. Took me a while, but with this copied knowledge I hope to contribute to the field of medicine," Kyosuke said nonchalantly. Asamiya and Hinako were taken aback by how genuine he was being, it seemed that he really was a pursuer of the scholastic arts as he had said.

"Anyways, Yasakani, you know I'm bored with learning. Inventing stuff and learning is fun and all, but I just want to party with you all day. Mind if I tag along? Not really looking forward to staying at home and have my dad lecture me about continuing the bloodline, yada yada yada," Kyosuke said.

Yasakani responded. "I don't see why not, depends on what Lady Asamiya says here, she's the head of this expedition," he reasoned. Yasakani looked to Asamiya, as well as Momiji, Mai, and Hinako.

"Of course you can join! I'd be happy to have a scholar added to our retinue. Welcome, and please don't be so formal. A relaxed journey is a fun journey," she said.

With that they all began walking down the road together, however Yasakani walked behind Asamiya next to Mai and Momiji and began to whisper to them as Asamiya and Kyosuke we engrossed in a conversation about candy.

"Listen: I know it was wrong of me to put you two on the spot but I feel that you two aren't bad people. Trust me, I'll make it worth your while. Protect her well and you will be rewarded nicely. She is known for being loyal and generous. If anyone asks for any reason, you two are my sisters and that's that. You two are aspiring actresses, keep it plain and simple," Yasakani whispered and reasoned.

Mai and Momiji listened attentively, his reasoning was simple and the offer sounded incredibly attractive. Without considering anything further, they both nodded in agreement to his plan. Hinako had listened in secretly and had her heart softened. Yasakani was goofy, but his heart was in the right place. She wanted to get to know him better as well, and if she was lucky, maybe share a bed with him.


	8. Small Talk

Yasakani returned to his place at Asamiya's side, just as Kyosuke and Asamiya finished their conversation.

"So anyways, what are we going to be doing once we get to the city of Kamakura?" Yasakani said.

"Don't know, Aniki, but…" Kyosuke was in the middle of speaking when he saw Yasakani frantically shaking his head. Asamiya was confused.

"Aniki?..." She thought nothing of it but made a mental note of it. For the Shiranui sisters, things just got a whole lot more interesting.

"Don't know, but I'm pretty sure we could just hit up a nice inn and think about it over some cups of sake," Kyosuke said, skipping straight to the point. Everyone but Asamiya nodded in agreement, relaxing over drinks was definitely an enticing idea.

"Isn't it a little early to be drinking? It's still early morning after all," Asamiya reasoned. This caused everyone to start laughing at her, Hinako included.

"It's never too late for a drink! It's also never too early for a drink!" Kyosuke said while smiling.

"What's your favorite drink?" Mai asked Kyosuke.

"An open one," he said. This caused nods of agreement from the rest of the group but Asamiya.

"I like tea myself, but I really like chilled sake the best," Hinako said.

"I enjoy hot sake. It brings out the aroma and hints of flavor much better," Momiji commented.

"I'm more a whiskey girl, myself. Ginza brand is amazing and goes down smoothly," Mai said happily.

"Damn, for being the youngest flower out of all of us, you have us all beat on the strong stuff. I like plain sake myself… then again, I like anything really," Yasakani mused aloud.

Asamiya pouted. She couldn't have a say in the conversation since she never drank at all.

"I'm not sure what to say. I've never drunk a drop of alcohol in my life!" she exclaimed. Truth be told she was curious to try it, but never found an occasion to do so. She was saving her first cup of sake experience to be with the man of her dreams, preferably at her wedding. Hinako egged her on.

"Then I know exactly what we'll be doing when we find an appropriate inn," Hinako's suggestion got everyone excited as they reminisced about their first cup of alcohol.

"Umm, I think it's ok. I'm not so sure about that," Asamiya said shyly. Mai hugged Asamiya like a loving sister, which was ironic since she was trying to kidnap only a few minutes ago.

"Oh, I can't wait to see drink your first cup! You HAVE to try Hakushu aged in a barrel! Goes down like fire and makes you very warm!" Mai said excitedly.

Momiji interjected. "ABSOLUTELY NOT! We want her to actually remember her first experience," Momiji said. The last thing she wanted was for Asamiya to wake up from alcohol induced memory loss.

"She can try something light for a start. How about just a nice cup of plum wine? It tastes like candy and it's good starter for beginners?" Hinako suggested. Everyone but Kyosuke nodded in agreement.

"Hinako, what was your first cup of alcohol?" Kyosuke asked suspiciously.

Hinako looked to her feet and said shyly, "Baijiu."

This caused Kyosuke, Yasakani, Momiji, and Mai to stare at Hinako all together. They weren't concerned, but where actually impressed, and intimidated by her.

"Seems like this flower needs a little extra hydration," Yasakani mused aloud.

"My kind of flower!" Kyosuke said absent mindedly.

"Did you remember anything!?" Momiji asked Hinako, clearly concerned about her well-being.

"Not really, I remember drinking it all in one go, then I remember waking up naked on a boat floating down a river. It took me a few days to get back to Asamiya's estate," she said nonchalantly.

Asamiya was blushing. "Is that why you were gone for a few days?" Asamiya wondered what had happened to her all those months ago.

"That's exactly why she has to just stick with just plain sake! Last thing we need is for her to end up naked on a boat floating down a river," Momiji explained.

"I second that, maybe even beer," Kyosuke suggested.

"Beer is more of a party drink and tastes the best with salty and or spicy foods. Not really a great opener to alcohol. I agree with Momiji. Sake is the best way to go," Yasakani said.

"Ok, ok. I get it. I'd rather just stick to drinking tea for now," Asamiya said, not wanting to pursue the subject any longer.

"Suit yourself! I'm drinking whiskey the minute I get there!" Mai said excitedly.

"With what money are you going to pay all this with?" Momiji said, trying to calm her sister's energy.

"Sis, big brother will take care of us! Won't you, big brother?" she said while hugging Yasakani. She was pouting at him and looking at him with her hazel eyes.

Yasakani had to admit: Mai was ditzy but she was crafty when she needed to be. She was also cute, to boot.

"Ok, fine. Fine. But I'm not responsible if you get in trouble with the pigs," he said while sighing.

"YAAAAYYY!" Mai was all smiles, she was still hugging Yasakani.

"Fair enough, but I swear if you get rowdy I won't stop beating you like a taiko drum!" Momiji said while crossing her arms. Her little sister was already more than a handful without alcohol in her.

"That reminds me, we should really book an entire place all to ourselves if the option is available. Spend a day in town and relax. You're not in any hurry right?" Kyosuke asked Asamiya.

"I'm not, I'm really not. I very much like that idea." Asamiya nodded in agreement.

"Then that settles that, I'm sure we'll be able to find suitable lodgings. That reminds me, hows the art going?" Yasakani asked Kyosuke.

"Well enough. This scene you guys put on earlier really gave me some new material to work with. It's much more fun basing work on actual events, much harder to make stuff up on the fly," Kyosuke mused.

"Can I see?" Hinako asked politely.

Kyosuke produced a small piece of paper from his bag and handed it to Hinako. It was a wonderfully black ink drawing of the battle between Yasakani and the Shiranui sisters. It was them taking their poses before the battle. She was a bit disappointed that her scuffle with Mai had been omitted, she was going to have to request it later for her personal collection. It had Kyosuke's stylish signature at the bottom right of the paper. Asamiya looked at the piece as well and was impressed. The quality was very high, even for an on the spot sketch. Momiji liked how heroic she looked, and Mai adored how the painting captured her energy.

"You did this all in the span of few minutes?" Momiji asked Kyosuke.

"That's nothing but a preliminary sketch. Wait till you see him buckle down and really get to work on a more detailed final piece. It's the stuff that would be fit to hang on the wall of the shogun himself," Yasakani said.

"You said you two were writers and artists, right? What genre and styles do you specialize in?" Asamiya asked.

"We can write and draw anything and everything. But our personal favorites are… more of an adult nature." Kyosuke replied.

Asamiya was a loss for words, she did not know what he meant by that. "I love reading about love stories myself! I want to fall in love one day and get married to someone I love!" she said proudly.

She was not prepared to be greeted by a chorus of laughter directed at her. Everyone laughed, but Yasakani.

"What? Did I make a joke?" she said while looking at around at everyone.

Momiji was the first to answer and stop laughing. "Oh come on now, honey. You can't tell me you still believe in that stuff. Aren't you a bit too old?" Momiji said playfully. She did not mean this maliciously.

"That's kid stuff! Even I know that! Marrying for love, that's stupid," Mai said while giggling.

"That's the stuff you only read about in kid's stories and myths," Hinako reasoned.

"Well if you like that's stuff, I do have a series just for kids about that. It's called, a Collected Stories of the Yearning Heart," Kyosuke said.

Asamiya brightened up. "I love that series, it's my favorite!" she exclaimed.

"Wow, I wonder who saw that coming!" Hinako joked. This caused everyone but Yasakani to laugh at Asamiya even more.

"To be fair, I think everyone has a right to like what they like. I can't say anything, I'm a gambling, drinking, partying kind of guy. So I have no place to judge," Yasakani said in Asamiyas defense.

This time, it was Momiji's turn to hug Asamiya. "Oh honey, we mean well. Just take it from me. Don't get so wrapped up in those love stories. If you grow up believing that stuff, you'll only get taken advantage of. I'm just trying to look out for you."

Momiji consoled Asamiya. Asamiya smiled at Momiji, she could sense that she was a very caring and filial person, even though she had just tried to kidnap her a while ago. She appreciated the advice.

"I know, I know. That's what Mom and Dad tell me. I just can't help but dream," Asamiya said.

"Speaking of dreaming, look up because we' here," Yasakani exclaimed. They had been so wrapped in conversation that time had passed by so quickly. They were at the front gates, the northern gates to the great city of Kamakura.


	9. Eating Inn

_Note: Kami is King's counterpart._

The group passed through the gates without much trouble. There were guards stationed at the towers at either side of the door. One thing that stuck out to them was that they weren't examined by guards as would normally happen when someone wanted to enter a city. Yasakani noticed that there seemed to be a lack of activity near the gate. There wasn't any other people coming into the gate, and yet the streets were devoid of people. Usually the opening districts would be a beehive of activity from people trying to cater to travelers. The rest of the group picked up on this detail as well.

"Is there some big event going on?" Hinako asked.

"Probably. The places near the gates are usually ghost towns when there is a big event going around. Everyone wants front row seats to events," Kyosuke mused.

The group stopped by a huge sign that had a hand painted map of the entire city that was separated into districts. It had every gate available into the city, as well as what places were hot spots. It was a convenient measure put in by the shogun, since he thought it wasted time to ask around for directions. Mai and Momiji pretended to read the map, they could read the pictures but actual characters and signs were completely beyond them.

"Wow, there's a nice inn right there," Asamiya pointed to a building right down the road. It was nice looking building, and seemed to be large enough to accommodate a large number of guests.

"Let's go in already! I'm starving!" Mai chirped.

"You're always hungry!" Momiji said.

The group entered the inn and looked around. It was surprisingly empty. There was a big counter top, with a blond hair bar maid sleeping. She had her head propped up on her hands, but she was fast asleep. Mai closed the sliding doors, the sound of which woke the barmaid up and sent her scrambling to greet them.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Come in, come in! Excuse my rudeness! I'm Kami, the owner of this place. Please, what will it be?" Kami said while bowing. Kami had wonderful blonde hair, beautiful blue eyes that reminded everyone of a clear blue sky.

"Oh! Ok! Pleased to meet you. I'm Asamiya. I would like to rent out this place for a short while. If that's ok with you!" she said while bowing politely.

"Oh, no problem at all. To be honest, this place will be empty for the next few days. The huge Kamakura festival is going being said, it's a very long walk to the southern part of the city where the festival is being held. There will be performances, food, anything really. Please, make yourself at home!" Kami insisted while ushering them inside her establishment. She wasn't lying, this place really did look empty, except for her and her assistant Yuri. Yuri was sleeping on the counter as well, and unlike Kami, she slept like a rock. Kami went over quickly to wake up Yuri, who also woke up frantically herself.

"Oh my stars and gardens, I fell asleep on y'all! I'm mighty sorry bout that, please let me get yourselves comfortable," Yuri said while smiling. She led them to a large private room, which was spacious enough for all of them to fit in. It had multiple cushions stationed around a large wooden table. Clearly it was meant for parties or friendly gatherings. They took their respective seats in no particular order.

Hinako sat beside Asamiya. Yasakani and Kyosuke sat across from Hinako and Asamiya. The Shiranui sisters sat on the sides of the table.

"Please, let me go getcha what we're servin today!" Yuri said as she went off, leaving the group there.

"Not going to lie, food sounds just great right about now," Yasakani said as he patted his stomach.

"I'm so hungry, I could eat a whole whale!" Mai said while pouting.

"With what money will you buy that whale with?" Momiji asked her sister.

"Big Brother will take care of us! Won't you, Big Brother?!" she asked Yasakani, throwing a pout his way. Asura marveled at how crafty Mai was. She knew how to get things her way one way or another.

Kyosuke spoke for the sole purpose of bagging on his best friend Yasakani. "Come on now, she's a growing girl! I didn't think you were that cruel to let your own little sister starve now would you?" Kyosuke joked.

Yasakani groaned, while Hinako winked in approval at Mai. "Ok, fine, fine. You and Momiji won't have to worry, I got both of you covered," Yasakani sighed.

"Oh, you don't have to, but if you insist! I love you, Big Brother!" Mai beamed with a smile.

Asura wondered at how Mai could be such a great actress when she wanted to be. Perhaps her trying her hand at actual acting wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"I hope they have eggs available. Mixing them with meat is absolutely to die for!" Kyosuke said while drooling.

"All this talk about food is really getting to me, and usually I don't eat so much to begin with," Momoji said while rubbing her stomach.

Yuri came back in through the sliding doors with various sheets of paper detailing what drinks and food where available for the day. She handed them out to everyone and gave them a few moments to think about what they wanted to order. She went out again to give them their privacy. Kami was happy they had guests, it was going to be an enjoyable day, she was sure of it. She noticed that the entire group looked her over multiple times. She tended to have that effect on people, with her blond hair and blue eyes.

"Speaking of ordering, they are not short on booze. Alright!" Kyosuke was excited.

"I already see what I'm getting. Yakitori grill. I'm going to order an entire platter of meat for all of us," Yasakani had his eyes already set on the menu.

"Oh, if that's the case then I'm going to order a rice ball set, nothing too fancy," Momiji said.

"Sis, that's no fun. I want the fish platter!" Mai exclaimed, she liked fish. It was a habit of hers that never seemed to die.

"Fair enough, I'll just order all the booze. Jugs of sake and liquor for everyone," Kyosuke commented. He was met with nods of approval and smiles, except Asamiya who was concerned.

"I would love their desserts. A whole ball of mochi sounds fun," Hinako said.

"Wow, I was going to order that! I guess that makes two!" Asamiya smiled.

Yuri came back and everyone handed her the menus. Kyosuke ordered for everyone, and told Yuri to have Kami join them for the fun. Yuri nodded and went to go tell the inn chef Momoko to prepare everything. She woke Momoko up from her sleep on the table. With that done, Yuri passed the message on to Kami, who smiled at the request. She had gotten used to acting as a hostess, since her beauty was often requested.

"I don't remember Kami being on the menu," Mai said playfully.

"Hey, that's the house special," Kyosuke said adamantly.

"Such a big appetite," Hinako said while blushing. This caused everyone to laugh together, except for Asamiya, who was still as confused as ever.

"I don't get it, you can't eat people," Asamiya reasoned aloud.

"Don't worry, Lady Asamiya, there are multiple ways to enjoy someone," Hinako said, which caused the Shiranui sisters to blush even harder at how lewd Hinako was. Yasakani and Kyosuke weren't surprised.


	10. Kami the Hostess

Kami entered the room graciously and bowed to everyone. "I am so very pleased that you have asked for me presence for this morning. I hope you all treat me well," she said while smiling.

"Oh, please, don't be so formal with us. This is your place after all, please enjoy your time with us," Asamiya insisted. Kami took a cushion and sat between Yasakani and Kyosuke. This made her at the center of attention. She chose the seat purposely to act as the hostess.

"I'm going to assume you all have such a big appetite. I assure you, our cook is very capable, your stomachs will want for nothing!" Kami said proudly.

"I definitely looking forward to the house special," Kyosuke replied.

Yuri returned before anyone else could comment. "I got ya'll your drinks." She came in carrying various jugs and cups stacked on top of each other. Without incident, she set the jugs and cups in the middle of the table. This allowed anyone to reach for whatever drinks they wanted.

"I'm goin to git ya'll rooms ready!" Yuri bowed to the group and went off to prepare the rooms for the guests.

"What do you say, Kyosuke? One for the road?" Yasakani suggested as he reached for the jug of whiskey and poured himself a good amount into the cylinder shaped bamboo cups.

"You know it! Everyone, lets toast!" Kyosuke smiled and reached for a jug of liquor.

Momiji began to pass around cups and pour everyone their preferred liquor. "What exactly are we going to toast to?" Mai asked curiously. She wanted to down her whiskey right away but decided to be patient this time. Mai felt that this was going to be a moment to savor with her new found friends.

"Perhaps to our chance meeting," Hinako suggested, holding her cup with both hands.

"Why not to everyone's happiness?" Momiji said aloud.

"I really like the idea!" Asura exclaimed.

"Kyosuke is the best with these sorts of things than I am. If you may, the honor is all yours," Yasakani held his cup high into the air.

Kyosuke cleared throat and raised his cup into the air. "May the road be long, and the routes we take be beautiful. To new found friendship, and hoping that we never have dull moments. May we drink and forget this day, with friends that we'll never forget." Kyosuke ended his toast, and was met with cheers of approval. Everyone drank their fill, except Asamiya who was hesitating.

"Is something wrong, Lady Asamiya? You hesitate in partaking in our mirth?" Hinako teased Asamiya.

"To be honest, as I said before, I've never drank a drop of alcohol in my life," Asamiya confessed again.

"Then all the more reason to drink up!" Mai shoved a cup full of sake into Asamiya's hands.

Momiji sighed. "Please excuse her. Sis, isn't it better for her to enjoy alcohol at her own leisure? We certainly don't want to happen to her what happened to Hinako here."

Everyone laughed. Hinako especially, the memory of that incident just filled her with amusement at her own self. Kami was curious about the whole incident and could not shake her feelings off.

"Excuse me for appearing so nosy, but what exactly befell Hinako? I'm going to deduce that it was an alcohol related incident? If that is the case, then I would agree with the counsel of the elder sister. Perhaps it is best for her to take it slow," Kami reasoned.

"To be completely honest, what happened to me was my own fault. I just drank something that was too strong for my own good. Being my first time getting my whistle wet and being who I am, it was more than enough to send me over the edge," Hinako mused.

"There must be more to it than that, what happened to you after?" Kami asked.

This time it was Kyosuke who took the lead. "To say that she drank a little too much is a bit of an understatement. Hinako thought it was a good idea to drink Baijiu, of all things as her first drink," Kyosuke said.

Kami looked at the petite maid with a new outlook. She did not expect this at all from her. In fact, she looked so demure that this incident would have been more appropriate coming from Yasakani's lips than the maid. All things considered, Kami was both impressed and shocked all at the same time.

"Well, well. I hope the same misfortune won't befall you again," Kami said wholeheartedly.

"Who said it was a misfortune?!" Hinako feigned being offended.

This caused the group to laugh together, even Asamiya who was beginning to feel more comfortable around the group.

"My apologies, I wish I had the same luck you had. Maybe I would have more stories to tell to my guests," Kami mused aloud.

"Speaking of memories to tell, Asamiya, we are all waiting for you." Hinako motioned to Asamiya who was still holding onto her cup awkwardly. Asamiya looked around, noticing that all eyes were on her.

"Waiting for what? Was I supposed to say something?" Asamiya said innocently.

"It has come to my attention that you have yet to have your first cup of proper alcohol. Please, I insist Lady Asamiya. The alcohol selection in this inn is of a very good quality, and I promise if there is one thing we do not skimp out on, it is the alcohol. I hand pick every bottle myself, so can assure you that the selection is most pleasing to the palate. It would be a pleasure for me to witness your first taste," Kami said politely.

Asamiya felt reassured by her words, which spoke of genuine friendship. She didn't feel so awkward anymore. It felt so surreal, to be surrounded by people who spoke as if they knew each other already. Besides Hinako and Yasakani, she had just met everyone. They seemed so at ease.

"Well, if everyone keeps insisting then I guess I just can't refuse. Well, here goes nothing, I guess?" Asamiya said.

She slowly raised the cup to her lips, and everyone was waiting in suspense. The tension was so thick that Yasakani could have cut it with his dotanuki, and even then it would give him some trouble. She could smell the sake before it reached her lips. It didn't smell disgusting at all. She had always imagined that it would reek of a pungent stench. The same stench that would permeate the air whenever her father held parties around her estate. This aroma was something completely unfamiliar. It had the hint of flowers, and smelled sweet. She could have been in a garden herself if she closed her eyes. The smell was not merely an illusion. The taste was just as pleasant. It was more than pleasant. If she hadn't been told that it was sake then she would have guessed that it could have been some finely sweetened tea. The flavor was layered, with hints of fragrance and character. Overall, she was glad that she made this choice.

While she had been drinking, everyone had been patient with held breaths. The detail of her eyes widening upon tasting the liquid was not unnoticed. The second she set her empty cup down, Mai was the first to pounce.

"So how was it?!" Mai asked excitedly.

"Was it what I had promised? If not, then my reputation would sorely suffer," Kami chided.

Asamiya was all smiles. She just could not help but to have a smile across her face. The taste had been so savory that she had drunk the entire thing in one go. There was a slight burning sensation in her mouth but it didn't matter.

"I was a little nervous at first, but I can see now that everyone just wanted me to partake in an experience! With friends like these, the drink tasted that much better!" Asamiya proclaimed.

Her statement was met with raised cups and nods of approval. Everyone drank their share in order to commemorate her first drink. Asamiya watched as they raised their cups to her, and she was all the more curious.

"Excuse me but I am not wholly familiar with practices surrounding drinking. Was there some reason as to why everyone is celebrating?" Asamiya asked.

Yasakani explained. "Like your first kiss, your first drink is also something forever etched into your memory. A memory to be cherished in private moments, whether it be reminiscing or simply writing about events gone by. You never forget certain events, and yet they are always in our past," he said.

Everyone besides Kyosuke was surprised at how poetic Yasakani seemed. For a person that had a certain demeanor about him, he was definitely deeper than what the eye saw. Kami smiled.

"I agree with you. I could not help but to notice that a kiss was the first thing you listed. I am curious now, if you don't mind answering. What was the memory of your first kiss like? Was it sweet? Was it sudden? Was it out of the blue?" Kami asked.

Kami's prodding caused Yasakani to blush. He was flustered now, not knowing exactly how to go about answering her. His blush made everyone curious now.

"Was it that embarrassing? Did she make you that flustered? Get under your skin that much?" Mai asked.

"Sis, don't jest about such things. Maybe the memory of that kiss is still very precious to him," Momiji reasoned.

"I bet, or perhaps such a memory is a little too steamy for sharing," Hinako chided.

"Yasakani… who did you kiss? How was she like? Was she your beloved?" Asamiya was getting very antsy now.

Yasakani was struggling to find words. "Oh, well, you see. Well, such things, are not so easily said. You know, stuff happens and years go by. I think it's best if we, you know, move on," he blubbered.

Kyosuke sighed. "Yasakani, bro, they're onto you. You can drop the acting, you aren't exactly Kyoshiro. For further clarification, Yasakani has never kissed any maiden before. He is as pure as a bhikkhu," Kyosuke said.

The women around Yasakani just stared at him. Kami was the first to speak.

"Well, that's a surprise. Yasakani, to be quite honest with you I am thoroughly taken back. With a face like yours, I was so sure that you were intimately familiar with the art of kissing," Kami flirted.

Yasakani sighed and gave up trying to hide it. "It is true, I've never so much as been affectionate with another woman." Yasakani was telling the truth. He had been so preoccupied with learning and traveling that his pursuit of the fairer sex was left unattended.

"That is nothing that cannot be solved so readily. I am sure that with your handsome face, a woman would be more than happy to share her affections with you. If you went around asking, some women wouldn't mind if you so happened to approach her," Kami winked at Yasakani.

Asamiya saw Kami wink, and her eyebrow twitched involuntarily. Hinako caught her twitch and giggled to herself. She thought about flirting with Yasakani herself but did not want to annoy Asamiya. It was only fun when she was upset, not hurt.

"That gets me wondering, big brother, what is your ideal type of woman?" Mai asked Yasakani.

Kami spoke up before Yasakani could answer. "You are related to him?" Kami asked Mai.

Mai nodded. "Oh, yes. Yasakani is my older brother. And Momiji is the elder sister," Mai said.

Momiji scowled. "Could you not call me the elder sister, it makes me seem older than I am," Momiji sighed.

"Oh, sis, you know you are the most mature. Besides, you kill my fun like an old person," Mai said while sticking out her tongue at Momiji.

Momiji was about to snap back at her but Kami cut her off. "Perhaps being the most mature is a lot of work. You must have your hands full with Yasakani and your younger sister. Are they both rambunctious?" Kami imagined them constantly bickering and fighting behind closed doors.

"You could say that. Yasakani knows how to handle himself. It's this one that keeps me awake at night." Momiji pointed to Mai, who was drinking her third cup of liquor.

Kyosuke smiled at the whole situation. Mai's mannerisms and drinking habits reminded him of himself. The conversation was interrupted by Yuri and Momoko opening the sliding doors to come in with various orders of food.


	11. Meal Meeting

It only took mere moments when Momoko and Yuri had all the food served for the group to quite literally pounce upon the banquet. Kami watched as servings were doled with considerable speed. Their ravenous appetites made Kami feel very hungry herself, even though she had eaten only an hour ago.

"Well, I am so glad that you food was brought in at a perfect time. Buddha only knows what would have occurred had my workers delayed any longer," Kami joked nervously. The thought of them eating her did not seem so far fetched at this point. The way that Yasakani tore into his meat made him more akin to a bloodthirsty Oni. Kyosuke was much more reserved than Yasakani. He just took a few flanks of meat for himself. Momoji was such a stark contrast to Mai. Mai was gorging herself on the fish, and yet Momiji seemed so at ease eating calmly. Kami smiled at Mai's eating habits. In her mind, Mai was definitely Yasakani's little sister.

"Lady Asamiya, is the mochi to your liking?" Kami asked.

Lady Asamiya nodded happily, the pockets of her cheeks filled. Kami had to admit, Asamiya looked so cute. It reminded Kami of the little brother that she had in her home. Kami sighed, she missed her little brother so very much. She still had to make a living, but when she could afford to she would always visit him in her home prefect. Hinako matched Asamiya and also stuffed her cheeks full. If Kami had not known better, then Kami would have guessed that they were also sisters.

"Kami, let me tell you, I think it is plainly obvious for you to see but please send our deepest gratitude to the chef please! This food is absolutely worth every bit of gold!" Kyosuke praised, stuffing more meat into his mouth. The rest of the group nodded in agreement, causing Kami to bow in respect.

"Thank you very much for your praises. Your opinion of my establishment only humbles me. I am not worthy of such niceties," Kami said.

Hinako shook her head. "Forget that, this place deserves all the gold we spend. To think that we happened to be going this way, and to happen on this place by chance!" Hinako exclaimed.

In the midst of the conversation, Mai became acutely aware of her sister's sudden change in demeanor. Momiji had finished her meal in silence, and had her hands folded across her lap. To everyone else, it seemed that she was merely idling. However, Mai knew better. Momiji might not have been a shinobi herself, but Momiji had picked up a few useful abilities from their training. Mai could see it so clearly. The subtle twitching of Momiji's ears, so very subtle. Momiji in that moment was a predator checking her surroundings. A very seasoned predator, one with a long history of espionage and subversion.

"Sis, is something the matter?" Mai whispered to Momiji.

"If everyone will excuse me for the time being, I will be taking a small stroll outside. I apologize for being so rude," Momiji had announced suddenly, and with a bow she left the room.

No one really was alarmed by this, besides Mai. Hinako looked to Mai for an answer.

"It's a habit of my sister to walk after eating. It helps her," Mai lied.

This answer seemed reasonable enough and Hinako did not prod any further. Everyone resumed the conversation without a further hitch. Normally Momiji would be delighted to partake in conversation, yet her instincts were warning her otherwise. Like a mother wolf protecting her cubs, she knew that some danger was lurking nearby. Momiji stepped outside to the entrance of the inn and looked around. This seemed like a good idea at first, until she realized the nature of the threat that was looming near. It was then that Momiji noticed a figure hiding near an alleyway. He was well hidden, but no match for Momiji's seasoned instincts.

"It's no use hiding. Please stop embarrassing yourself and just come and talk to me. Eiji." Momiji wondered why this particular Shinobi was always so serious and by the books. If anything, his serious nature made him so boringly predictable if you were familiar with him.

From the alley way, Eiji winced. He had been found out so easily, he was so sure that his hiding place was genius. He mentally kicked himself and slouched out into the open. He looked like a teenager in a bad mood. It looked even more ridiculous since Eiji was wearing his signature purple bodysuit. Momiji rolled her eyes. She swore that it was the only clothing that she ever saw him in. If he had wanted to hide then he should have dressed as a traveling priest asking for alms. Anything other than the usual shinobi war gear.

"Is there any reason you followed us all the way here Eiji?" Momiji asked bluntly. She grew tired of his constant presence. Their Shinobi clan leader, Hattori Hanzo, had made Eiji his eyes. This meant that EIji was to report to Hattori anything that could be useful or interesting. In truth, it was just a way to send Eiji away since he tended to be annoying. Then again Eiji seemed to have the fortune of being lucky in spades so he always seemed to pull off the impossible.

"I am here to report on your whereabouts back to Hanzo," Eiji said briefly. He replied with his usual serious self. Momiji rolled her eyes again. She already knew what he was going to say, there was never any variance with him.

"Great. You found us. Is there anything I need to know?" Momiji asked.

EIji took a moment to think before responding.

"The rest of the clan wonder about your whereabouts," Eiji said.

This was a true enough statement. Momiji and Mai always walked to the beat of their own drum. In fact it could be said that they hardly cared at all for whatever matters their clan had gotten into. Momiji's only responsibility was her sister and herself. She owed loyalty to no one else.

"Tell them all that we are off somewhere doing whatever," Momiji commanded.

Now was not a good time for the clan to suddenly rise up again.

"Also, a message from the elder sister herself. Kureha wishes for you to send her a correspondence letter at your earliest convenience," Eiji reported.

Upon hearing her name Momiji softened a little. She loved her older sister dearly, but time had made them grow so far apart. With her duties as the dragon priestess, and Momiji's own life choices their paths seem to drift further and further away each day. Momiji took in a deep breath and forced back the flood of memories that threatened to break through the dam.

"Thank you for that. I will send her a correspondence soon enough. You are dismissed Eiji," she said.

Eiji bowed to her and took his leave. He was gone within a blink of an eye. He might have been annoying, but he was certainly not wanting for speed. Momiji pondered over the state of the clan nowadays. They had always been on the lookout for anything that could have been a threat to the land. Yet, with this period of peace, such things were in the realms of myths and legend. Momiji shook her head, erasing the musings from her thoughts. She could care less about the clan mission. Right now, she just wanted to relax. She contented herself with meeting such good company, and returned to their presence soon enough.


End file.
